Politics: Bush finally requests fuel efficiencies

President Bush sent Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta to Atlanta this morning to announce a "new" plan to require improved fuel efficiencies of 10% (that is, from 21 to 23 MPG per SUV) by 2011. The Bush administration claims it has been working on the plan for a year and its announcement has nothing to do with unprecedented gas prices or skyrocketing disapproval of the administration's oil policies.

Hm, let's do the math. Bush is in office for five years before he proposes a minimal fuel-efficiency plan, despite oil prices that for years have been rocketing towards today's $66 per barrel -- more than 220% over the previous unprecedented price gouge of $28 per barrel. Citizens are paying more than 200% of pre-Bush energy costs for oil, gas and electricity, and have been for years -- with gas prices predicted to continue climbing from today's $2.61 per gallon to $3.00 by year end. Anger over energy prices has reached the magical 50% mark above which Bush's approval ratings will be in a decreasing minority.

So out of the blue and claiming no connection with current price trends, Bush releases a plan that will have no effect for another five years. It will still require citizens to pay current and climbing energy rates for the second half of an entire decade!

Two conclusions are abundantly clear: Bush is again lying about the lack of a political motive for his actions, and Bush remains firmly in the pockets of Big Oil and its rapacious profiteering.

Bush has let Enron, ExxonMobil and all the rest steal our nest eggs -- our children's college tuition and our retirement funds. We don't get to keep the money we've earned; Enron, ExxonMobil and all the rest have been allowed to steal it. Have any of Bush's personal friends been called to accounts? No!

Politics is ever about compromise. The trouble with mixing faith and politics is that faith always comes out of the fray sullied -- covered with mud. Would a Christian allow such injustices to stand? No! But then, is a believer who puts politics above morality truly a believer?